The Heart: is surrounded in Grand Rapids Civic Theatre's upcoming production The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.Supplied

By now, you’re done with the holidays. Vacation time is over—you’re back at work (hopefully) or back at school. You’re taking down the decorations, switching your playlists back to regular music, and stopping yourself from eating candy canes and other sweets. In other words, you’re settling in for a long, ordinary January in West Michigan, right?

Not so fast. While celebrating the holiday season is over, several local theaters are kicking off the New Year with three must-see productions. No more sugar plum fairies, dancing nutcrackers, or redemption via three ghosts—these plays about seeking connection with others are sure-fire, cabin-fever reducers.

Grand Rapids Civic Theatre kicks off the new year of its season on January 18 with an adaption of Carson McCullers’s The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Set in 1930s Georgia, the play focuses on John Singer, a deaf mute who becomes the unexpected confidant to four people. Mick is a young girl, a tomboy who loves music and longs to be a concert pianist. Biff owns the local diner; while he knows so much about the people around him, they don’t know what he secretly wishes. Dr. Copeland is an African American doctor yearning for others in the community to stand up for equality. Jake is a drunk but searching for something else. Can they get what they long for?

A Steady Rain, an Actors’ Theatre presentation opening on January 24, tells the story of Joey and Denny, two Chicago police officers whose lives have been interwoven since kindergarten. Joey is a by-the-book cop, an introverted bachelor who’s in love with his partner’s wife. Denny likes to bend the rules, whether it’s his oath to be a police officer or his vows to be a husband. While the two have met vicious criminals and witnessed despicable acts on the beat, none are as horrible as a domestic abuse call that leads them to be tricked by a serial killer. After their friendship has endured so much, can it survive this?

Finally, on January 31, Calvin College presents William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, but probably not like you’ve seen it before. Set in the wild, wild West (well, Missouri), this adaptation focuses on Baptista Minola, a wealthy ranch owner. While young men are interested in Baptista’s youngest daughter, Bianca, the rancher sets down the law: no one can marry Bianca until her older and wilder sister Katherina is married. Enter Petruchio, a gambler who bets that he has enough gumption to take on Katherina. Can Petruchio woo in haste and marry in leisure? Or will it take more than an ace up his sleeve to get Katherina down the aisle?

All three plays have a bit of prestige behind them: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is a 2005 adaptation of a novel lauded as one of the best 100 books by Time magazine; A Steady Rain was hailed by critics as one of the best plays of 2009; The Taming of the Shrew… well, it’s been lauded for quite some time. But the significance of these plays isn’t their prestige, it’s how they make us think about human connection.

“I think it’s important because we’re coming into the dark part of winter,” said Bruce Tinker, director of The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. “After the holidays, a large number of people feel a degree of isolation and loneliness. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is about self-expression and hope. It’s about people striving to be part of something greater.” With these three productions, it’s clear that local theater will be a warm light around which everyone in West Michigan can connect.